On four daylong field trips, discover the natural beauty and human history that makes Oregon a state of wonder. Take in city highlights like the International Rose Test Garden and exquisite Japanese Gardens, then explore the natural wonders outside the city, from the rugged Pacific Coast to the dramatic Columbia River Gorge to the volcanic Cascade Mountains. Each journey is accented by interesting, interactive activities, including a tasting of the Willamette Valley’s award-winning wines.

Highlights

• Stand in awe of the Columbia River Gorge’s magnificent waterfalls and captivating vistas.• Visit historic Astoria and the rugged Oregon Coast, including the mouth of the Columbia River, known as the “Graveyard of the Pacific.”• Gaze up at towering Mount Hood from majestic Timberline Lodge, one of the iconic great lodges of the West.

Activity Particulars

Walking up to 1.5 miles on city streets, garden pathways, and short trail to waterfall during field trips.

Coordinated by Road Scholar.

Portland (Oregon)

Portlanders live a life rich in the arts, surrounded by natural beauty and conveniently situated near the Pacific Coast and Columbia River Gorge. The City of Roses is a walker's paradise filled with parks, fountains and unique neighborhoods.

Accommodations
Comfortable hotel with indoor heated pool.

Road Scholar Instructors

These instructors are participating on at least one date of this program. Please note that changes may occur.

Peter Chausse

A Massachusetts native, Peter Chausse is a teacher and passionate local historian in Portland, Ore. Though a position with the U.S. Forest Service originally brought him to the Pacific Northwest, Peter is now an instructor at The Heritage Institute, a branch of Antioch University. He runs his own small walking excursion business in Portland and enjoys leading field trips with Road Scholar, during which he shares his knowledge of local art and natural history.

Barbara Roberts

Barbara Roberts was Oregon's 34th and first female governor, serving from 1991 to 1995. During her term, she was a leading advocate of public education, human rights and services, environmental management, and streamlining state government. Perhaps her most challenging role was caring for her husband, Senior State Senator Frank Roberts, during his life-threatening, then terminal illness. That experience inspired her to write the acclaimed book “Death without Denial, Grief without Apology.”

Joseph Couture

Joseph Couture is an expert on the geology and history of the Pacific Northwest. He studied geology at Portland State University and criminology at Southern Oregon University, and combined the degrees for his interest in forensic geology (geo-criminology). He is an accomplished lecturer on topics ranging from the Hawaiian Volcanoes to the Granite Plutons of Acadia National Park in Maine.

Ed Jahn

Ed Jahn came to Oregon Public Broadcasting’s “Oregon Field Guide” in 2000 after working several years at Rocky Mountain PBS in Denver. He has won 11 regional Emmy Awards for his work on “Oregon Field Guide,” and “Spirit of Colorado.” Ed won the duPont-Columbia Award for Journalism in 2008, and was twice awarded a Society of Environmental Journalists Award for "In-Depth Reporting on the Environment." He has is an avid bike commuter, gardener and lover of the backcountry.

Mich Nelson

Mich Nelson is Free Spirit-in-Chief of Free Spirit Wines, a wine education and custom wine excursion planning company based in Portland, Ore. Mich is a former tasting room manager and private wine educator in the Willamette Valley. She also teaches classes at the Wine and Spirit Archive, one of Portland’s premier wine schools, and is an instructor with Indulge Wine School. Mich holds the WSET Advanced Certificate in Wine and Spirits with Distinction and is a member of the Society of Wine Educators.

Meals and Lodgings

Clarion Hotel- Portland International Airport

Portland, OR

5 nights

Clarion Hotel- Portland International Airport

Type:

Hotel

Description:

Hotel is perched along Lake Mayes near the Columbia River, offering bird-watching pleasures as well as ready access to downtown Portland, 10 miles away. Walking path nearby.

Call hotel directly The hotel offers a special rate for participants, based upon availability. Make reservations by calling 503-252-2222 for early arrivals or stay-overs. Be sure to mention you are with the Road Scholar group.

Check in time:

3:00 PM

Additional nights after:

Call hotel directly The hotel offers a special rate for participants, based upon availability. Make reservations by calling 503-252-2222 for early arrivals or stay-overs. Be sure to mention you are with the Road Scholar group.

Check out time:

12:00 PM

Travel Details

Start
of Program:
Hotel check in begins at 3:00 PM. Program registration begins at 4:00 PM. Dinner is scheduled for 6:00 PM, followed by orientation. You will be staying at Clarion Hotel- Portland International Airport that night.

Required
documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required. Bring your America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass - Senior Pass (or Golden Age Passport as it was formerly known) if you have one.

Parking
availability:
Parking is complimentary at the Clarion Hotel, see the front desk to receive a parking pass.

Transportation

To
Start of Program

Location:

Portland, OR

Nearest
highway:

I-84 and I-5

Nearest
airport:

Portland International Airport (PDX)

From
End of Program

Location:

Portland, OR

(Additional
transportation information
same as above)

Travel Details

Portland- Clarion Hotel

From Airport

Service:

Hotel ShuttleClarion Hotelphone: 503-252-2222

Per Person/One Way:

FreePrices are subject to change.

Travel Time:

10 Minutes

Distance:

3 Miles

The Clarion Hotel offers a complimentary airport shuttle. While the shuttle runs on a schedule, the hotel will need to know you are at the airport. After you have picked up your baggage, call the hotel to arrange for your shuttle (503) 252-2222. Return arrangements can be made with the front desk.

Portland- Clarion Hotel

From Train Station

Service:

Public TransportationTri-Met MAX light railphone: 503-238-7433

Per Person/One Way:

Travel Time:

48 minutes (including 3 minutes walking and 11 minutes waiting)

The closest light rail stop to the bus and train station is Union Station/NW 6th & Hoyt St.
Instructions from the Union Station / NW 6th & Hoyt St MAX Station to Portland International Airport:
1) Purchase one ticket for each person in your traveling party
2) Board MAX Green Line to Clackamas Town Center
3) Exit MAX at Rose Quarter MAX Station
4) Board MAX Red Line to Airport
3) Exit MAX at Portland International Airport
4) Contact Clarion Hotel for complimentary hotel shuttle

Portland- Clarion Hotel

From Train Station

Service:

Taxi

Per Person/One Way:

$35 - $40Prices are subject to change.

Travel Time:

Approximately 20 minutes. Could vary due to traffic.

A taxi would cost approximately $35 - $40 from either the bus or train station to the hotel. Radio Cab: 503-227-1212, Broadway Cab: 503-227-1234 or Green Cab: 503-234-1414.

Portland- Clarion Hotel

From Bus Terminal

Service:

Public TransportationTri-Met MAX light railphone: 503-238-7433

Per Person/One Way:

Travel Time:

48 minutes (including 3 minutes walking and 11 minutes waiting)

The closest light rail stop to the bus and train station is Union Station/NW 6th & Hoyt St.
Instructions from the Union Station / NW 6th & Hoyt St MAX Station to Portland International Airport:
1) Purchase one ticket for each person in your traveling party
2) Board MAX Green Line to Clackamas Town Center
3) Exit MAX at Rose Quarter MAX Station
4) Board MAX Red Line to Airport
3) Exit MAX at Portland International Airport
4) Contact Clarion Hotel for complimentary hotel shuttle

The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.

Daily Schedule

Day 1:

Hotel Social and Orientation(Sunday, June 15)

Afternoon:

Hotel check in begins at 3:00 PM. Program registration begins at 4:00 PM.

Dinner:

Dinner will be catered and served at the hotel.

Evening:

Following dinner there will be a program orientation and group introductions.

Note: Timberline Lodge sits at an elevation of 6000 feet.

Breakfast:

Breakfast

Morning:

Learn about the history of Oregon and its geological features on a field trip to Mt Hood with stops at the Wildwood Recreation area and Timberline Lodge, a National Historic Landmark. Wildwood Recreation Area is nestled in the forested foothills of the Cascade Mountains. It features a Cascade streamwatch and Wetland Boardwalk interpretive trails.

Lunch:

Picnic at Wildwood Park

Afternoon:

Visit the historic Timberline Lodge, a WPA project dedicated in 1937, which is filled with art work and furnishings created for the lodge in the 1930's under the Federal Art Project. It is the only twentieth-century public building of its size constructed and furnished entirely by hand with original craft work in wood (both carved and inlaid marquetry), wrought iron, weaving, appliqué, painting, mosaic, carved linoleum, and stained glass.

Dinner:

Dinner at hotel.

Evening:

Learn about the interesting Public Art in Portland through a lecture by a local expert.

Note: Downtown walking tour is approximately one mile at a leisurely pace, with some periods of standing.

Breakfast:

Breakfast

Morning:

Explore the beautiful Rose Gardens, with it's famous overlook of the city of Portland. Founded in 1917, Portland's International Rose Test Garden is the oldest official, continuously operated public rose test garden in the United States. During World War I, hybridists sent roses from around the world to Portland's garden for testing and to keep the new hybrids safe from being destroyed by the bombing in Europe.

Continue on to a delightful docent-led excursion through the tranquil Japanese Gardens, proclaimed to be "the most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden in the world outside of Japan." The garden includes a formal Japanese Tea House, meandering streams, intimate walkways, and an unsurpassed view of Mt. Hood.

Lunch:

Enjoy a picnic lunch.

Afternoon:

Head to downtown Portland for an expert guided walking tour of the history, art and architecture of this unique Northwest city. See and hear the stories behind many unusual details that even most locals miss.

Dinner:

Dinner on your own to explore the local cuisine. There are many delicious restaurants to choose from. The hotel hosts a wine social if you'd like to return to the hotel before deciding which restaurant to try.

Early departure for all day fieldtrip to the Oregon Coast. Travel to Astoria, the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies. Continue on to Fort Stevens, a coastal defense fort which saw active service from the Civil War days to the end of World War II. The fort was built to protect the North against an English invasion from Canada, should the British join the Civil War on the Confederate side. In its long history, Fort Stevens never fired its guns in anger.

Lunch:

Picnic lunch at Fort Clatsop.

Afternoon:

Explore reconstructed Fort Clatsop, the winter encampment for Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery from December 1805 to March 1806.

Dinner:

Dinner at hotel.

Evening:

In the past 40 years, Oregon has grown to world class wine making status. In this evening's expert lecture, you'll hear the story of how that came to be. You'll learn about a few of the fabulous varieties for which the state is becoming known and taste some samples.

The Columbia River Gorge is a spectacular river canyon cutting the only sea-level route through the Cascade Mountain Range. It's 80 miles long and up to 4,000 feet deep with the north canyon walls in Washington State and the south canyon walls in Oregon State. Through millenniums of geologic events, waterfalls have found their home in the Columbia River Gorge. A visit to the area is not complete without a visit to its breathtaking waterfalls. Travel through the gorge and learn about the interesting geology of the area. View the waterfalls as you continue to The Dalles for a visit to the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center.

Lunch:

Lunch at Columbia Gorge Discovery Center.

Afternoon:

The Columbia Gorge Discovery Center is the official interpretive center for the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. This 26,100 square foot exhibit wing holds interactive displays which bring to life the tremendous volcanic upheavals and raging floods that created the Gorge, and describe the mighty river which sculpted patterns for a unique and spectacular diversity of vegetation, wildlife, and ancient life ways. Visiting the exhibits will add to the information shared by our onboard instructor.

Dinner:

Dinner at hotel.

Evening:

Relax after your busy day with an award winning producer of Oregon Public Broadcasting’s "Oregon Field Guide" who will share video and stories of the state’s scenic wonders.

Program review and wrap up. Final lecture by former Governor Barbara Roberts will include fun facts and unique stories of Oregon's willingness to be first in the nation in a number of areas. You will hear a little history, geography, politics, and the "Wonders of Oregon."

Meals
Included:

Breakfast

Free Time Opportunities

Portland, OR

Crystal Springs Rhododendron GardenThe Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden was originally developed as a test garden. The oldest rhododendron in the current garden was planted prior to 1917. There are more than 2,500 rhododendrons, azaleas, and companion plants in the garden. For additional information, visit www.portlandonline.com/parks

Oregon Historical Society
Experience the Oregon story, from its earliest inhabitants to the present day, with fascinating displays of rare Oregon treasures. Call 503-222-1741 or visit the website for more information. For additional information, visit www.ohs.org

Pittock Mansion
The Pittock Mansion was home to Portland pioneers Henry and Georgiana Pittock from 1914 to 1919. During the late 1800s and the early 1900s, their lives and work paralleled the growth of Portland from a small Northwest town site to a thriving city with a quarter million population. With its eclectic architectural design and richly decorated interior, including family artifacts, the Pittock Mansion stands today as a living memorial of this family’s contributions to the blossoming of Portland and its people.
Information from www.pittockmansion.org. Call 503-823-3623 or visit their website for additional information.
For additional information, visit www.pittockmansion.org

Portland Art Museum
The Portland Art Museum is the oldest art museum in the Pacific Northwest. The Museum’s collection includes works of European painting and sculpture, American painting and sculpture, English silver, Asian art, Native American art, Pre-Columbian art, Cameroon and other African art, contemporary art, sculpture, prints and drawings, and photography. Call 503-226-2811 or visit the website for additional information. For additional information, visit www.portlandartmuseum.org

Portland International Airport
For information about airlines, parking, restaurants or shopping at the airport call 877-739-4636 or visit their website. For additional information, visit www.flypdx.com

Portland Japanese Garden
This beautiful and tranquil garden features five gardens in 5.5 acres. Call 503-223-1231 or visit their website for additional information. For additional information, visit www.japanesegarden.com

Portland Spirit River Cruise
Portland Spirit River Cruises offer Willamette River cruises and Columbia River cruises from downtown Portland Oregon aboard the Portland Spirit, the Willamette Star, the Crystal Dolphin and the Outrageous Jetboat. Call 1-800-224-3901 or visit their website for additional information. For additional information, visit www.portlandspirit.com

Portland Walking Tours
Portland Walking Tours offers a wide range of walking tours- from the Best of Portland, to Underground Portland to an Epicurean Excursion.
Call 503-774-4522 or visit their website for additional information. For additional information, visit www.portlandwalkingtours.com

Powell's City of Books
Powell's City of Books has over a million new and used books on the shelves. Get lost in the nine color coded rooms while searching through the 3,500 sections. This is more than just a bookstore, it's an entire block! Call 1-800-878-7323 or visit their website for additional information. For additional information, visit www.powells.com

Tri Met
Tri Met is Portland's public transportation system (includes lightrail, streetcar and buses). Call 503-238-7433 or visit their website for more information. For additional information, visit www.tri-met.org

Waterfront Bicycle
Whether you're looking to rent a bike for a few hours or for a week, Waterfront Bicycle will have what you need. All rentals include a helmet, lock and handlebar bag. Choose from five styles of bikes. Website includes suggested rides. Call 503-227-1719 or visit their website for additional information. For additional information, visit www.waterfrontbikes.com

Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.

Suggested Reading List

A Chef's Bounty: Celebrating Oregon's Cuisine

Author: William King

Oregon Trail Stories: True Accounts of Life in a Covered Wagon

Author: David Klausmeyer

Oregon's Promise: An Interpretive History

Author: David Peterson Del Mar

Portland: People, Politics, and Power, 1851-2001

Author: Jewel Lansing

Up the Capitol Steps: A Woman's March to the Governorship

Author: Barbara Roberts

You can't find a better value than Road Scholar.

As a not-for-profit organization, we are dedicated to providing all-inclusive educational programs at great value. From lectures to gratuities to field trips to accommodations - the tuition you pay up front is all that you pay.

Specifically, this program includes:

5 nights accommodations

13 meals:
5 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners

Expert-led lectures: 4

Expert-led lectures

Led by one or more of our world-class instructors, typically in a classroom setting, lectures come in the form of presentations, discussions or workshops and offer expert insight into your area of study.

Field trips: 8

Field trips

The world is your classroom, as you're on location with an instructor to pursue your educational theme firsthand.

Plus these special experiences...

Stand in awe of the Columbia River Gorge’s magnificent waterfalls and captivating vistas.

Visit Astoria and the rugged Oregon Coast, including the mouth of the Columbia River.

Gaze at towering Mount Hood from majestic Timberline Lodge, one of the iconic great lodges of the West.

View the Daily Schedule to see more

And included with all Road Scholar programs:

Learning led by expert instructors who are authorities in the field of study.

An experienced Group Leader attuned to the needs of Road Scholar participants.

Customary gratuities throughout the program that you would normally pay yourself.